BLCA c07s01
Text Scrivener Blooms smiled as he carried a tray loaded with several mugs into the den of their beautiful little cottage, Twilight Sparkle and Luna both resting comfortably on the futon in front of the flickering blue flames in the wide stone fireplace. Twilight's eyes kept roving around the hardwood walls, taking in the various paintings that Luna had done, constantly returning to one in particular: a picture of herself, Luna, and Scrivener all standing together, laughing and smiling. Luna gave a warm look to her husband, her horn glowing as she lifted the tray from Scrivener's claw to set it down on the other side of the futon, and he nodded to her as he dropped down on Twilight's other side, resting comfortably on a set of pillows as he looked affectionately over the two. Twilight was half-curled up against Luna, blushing a bit, but she hadn't resisted when Luna had pulled her in and looked glad for the attention, her head resting quietly against the nape of the dark winged unicorn's neck as her starry locks swirled and tickled gently over Twilight's frame. Scrivener picked up a mug of coffee, smiling over at the two as he sipped at it slowly, and Twilight laughed a bit when Luna's horn glowed and lifted a mug to the violet pony, the mare catching it between her hooves as she murmured: "Thank you, Luna. And you too, Scrivy... I have to admit that... that this is really nice. I hope Celestia gets back soon, though..." "Oh, 'tis good for sister to wander a little, to fulfill her curiosities instead of taming them constantly. Besides, it is easier to get thee to be more relaxed when stuffy Celestia isn't around." Luna replied playfully, squeezing Twilight a bit closer, and the violet pony blushed a little as she sipped awkwardly at her coffee. "Scarlet Sage sleeps in our room, Discombobulation is settled in his tiny home, I have both my husband and a beautiful mare with me, and Celestia seeks to speak to the very soul of this Everfree Forest... aye, all is well." Scrivener smiled despite himself, looking with entertainment across at Luna as Twilight laughed a little, murmuring: "And Equestria is... is back. Even if in a different place... even if things are a little stranger now, the world is back. Even we're back and I can barely believe it still." "Believe it, Twilight. I care dearly for thee... and I seek to repair all the damage that I still feel is my fault. This is only the beginning of that process." Luna said softly, and Twilight looked over her shoulder at her softly as she set her mug down, but Luna only smiled wryly in return. "Oh, do not even think it. I must bear responsibility for my actions. If I do not... well... 'twould lead to folly. Imagine if we did not blame Scrivener Blooms for his wrongs. Soon enough, he would devour the Everfree Forest." "I would not." Scrivener grumbled, and Luna grinned at him before the male rolled his eyes and sipped slowly at his coffee. "You're the one who keeps encouraging this." Luna nodded agreeably after a moment, and Twilight shook her head before she gazed from one to the other, then blushed a bit and said quietly: "I don't think there's anything wrong with that, though, Scrivy. Imagine if Luna hadn't encouraged us both in... you know. Everything she did. I know that maybe some things we could both do with less 'motivation' in, but... without you always there, helping me and pushing me along, I never would have become as strong as I have in magic, I don't think I would have even lasted on the journey... whether Celestia shared her powers with me or not. And Scrivener well. You would have been dead at the hooves of the Royal Court." "Not officially, I'm sure. I like to think I was important enough that instead of being beaten to death in an alley they would have at least hired some second-class thugs to kill me once I pushed them too far. Maybe even first-class." Scrivener said amiably, swirling his coffee a bit before he grinned slightly as he leaned suddenly in towards Twilight, making the violet winged unicorn blush and lean back a bit in surprise at the sharp-toothed expression. "Are you saying you're encouraging me too now, though, with this new lifestyle?" Twilight laughed and reached up a hoof to shove him backwards, and Scrivener huffed a bit as the violet pony said amusedly: "Nice try, Scrivener, but I know you're still the same guy underneath everything." "True, but what was underneath that, Twilight?" Scrivener pointed out, and he put his coffee aside before smiling as he slipped toward the mares, and Luna lightly pushed Twilight towards the male, making her blush a bit before one of Scrivener's claws reached up and stroked gently through her color-streaked mane. "Parts of me... feel intensified now. And... Twilight... listen, because I don't want to say this more than once. I'm very happy you're okay, and... I think it means as much to me as it does to Luna that you haven't judged us. Okay, maybe... maybe it even means more, because..." Scrivener blushed a bit, clearing his throat awkwardly, and Luna looked at him pointedly, gesturing with a hoof for him to continue as Twilight looked at him in soft silence. "I care about you. You're a close friend and... more. I'm... a monster, but you've always been... I dunno. Special. Able to look past the exterior, of even things as bad as me and Luna. Having your support here with us... does more for us than you can imagine." "Scrivy... you and Luna are very important to me, you both... opened new worlds up to me. Worlds that I never dreamed of, and worlds that once I would have run away from." Twilight replied softly, bowing her head forwards as she slipped herself closer... and she smiled as Scrivener's upper limbs wrapped around her, feeling Luna curling herself closer against her back, hooves stroking gently along her spine. "I could never turn my back on you both after everything that's happened. And I guess... you got me used to this lifestyle too. Now it feels like it's been ten years without being touched." She paused, then smiled wryly over her shoulder at Luna. "Suddenly I understand better you've always been so grabby." Luna grunted in agreement, snuggling herself closer against Twilight's back as she said dryly: "See, Scrivener Blooms? Make somepony else spend but a moment in thine own horseshoes and suddenly they make sense." The violet pony smiled a bit, curling tighter, secure and comfortable between the two as Scrivener reached one of his claws up to cup Luna's features gently, and she gazed lovingly across at her husband as her black pearl rubbed gently against Twilight's back, warmed between the bodies of the mares. It felt good... it almost felt right, in its way, as Twilight closed her eyes and breathed slowly, listening to the beat of Scrivener's heart and knowing that behind her, Luna's own heart thudded in perfect time before she asked before she could help herself: "What's it like... being what you are now, Scrivy?" "I..." Scrivener hesitated, but when Twilight opened her eyes, curious, not judging, he smiled and said quietly: "Honestly? The more time I spend with all this power... the more I like it. I'm... I'm strong. I like being strong. I like the grandeur that comes with taking on my full size form and I enjoy the dexterity of my claws and the new physical strength in my body. I like feeling... more useful to Luna. Even being a mighty steed." Scrivener smiled despite himself, and Twilight laughed a bit before the male shook his head and added softly: "But I do worry, too. About the hungers... what if I begin to have those? And is it good that I revel so much in my power? Especially since I'm... eager for more. I'm eager to put these abilities to use, and become stronger." Twilight smiled a bit in return, glancing up at him and saying softly: "And what, you think that I'm not eager to learn more magic, to expand my own knowledge and abilities? I don't think there's anything wrong with that, Scrivy... especially since I know that no matter what, it's Luna who pulls the strings, too." "Oh, bite me." Scrivener huffed, and Twilight laughed before the male took a breath, then breathed a burst of blue smog out over her features, Twilight's eyes immediately watering as she wheezed and coughed raggedly a few times, shaking her head briskly and glaring at him in frustration as he grinned down at her and squeezed his claws teasingly against her body. "Oh, sorry, Twilight. Reflex." "Sure, sure." Twilight grumbled, smacking him firmly with a hoof, and she wrinkled her muzzle a bit even as she dropped her head against his chest, muttering: "Smells like meat and... cinnamon, paprika, some kind of spice..." "I guess it's used for keeping meat fresh after I kill it." Scrivener said blandly, and Twilight looked up at him flatly, but the earth pony only shrugged as Luna grinned widely at him. "What? You were saying I should embrace this." "No, I was... you're impossible, both of you." Twilight rolled her eyes, elbowing Luna lightly as she added dryly: "Because I know you're encouraging him, Luna. Why do you always try to bring out the worst in each other?" "Oh, we haven't yet begun to bring out the worst in one another, nor in thee, Twilight Sparkle." Luna grinned widely, and Twilight blushed a bit before Luna kissed the side of her neck gently, then whispered into her ear: "Would thou like us to?" "Uh... Celestia..." Twilight said awkwardly, and Luna grumbled a bit under her breath but relented as Scrivener drew back a little, but Twilight glanced up with a smile, and the poet settled, letting Twilight curl herself comfortably between the two again as she murmured in half-embarrassment: "We're not all as... active as you are, Luna." "True, but if more ponies were, the world would be a far happier place." Luna muttered irritably, and Twilight smiled despite herself before the winged unicorn sighed loudly and gently beat her hooves against the violet pony's lower back, complaining: "Besides, so what if Celestia caught us? We could even invite her to relax." Twilight grimaced at this even as she bit her tongue, trying to resist responding to Luna's obvious baiting, and Scrivener snorted in amusement before the dark-coated female added deviously: "Why, it might even be just what sister needs to finally loosen up... although, as Freya, I tell thee, there was far more interest in living a passionate life than there was in attempting to bottle all those urges up..." "Well, she was a Valkyrie back then. I can imagine that life was different up there than down here." Twilight replied awkwardly, shoving a bit at the winged unicorn. "I mean, you weren't ponies or even mortals, were you?" "Nay. We were not." Luna said softly, and she smiled a bit, settling down as she leaned back and looked thoughtfully upwards, Scrivener gazing over at her as Twilight glanced curiously over her shoulder as well. "I do not know quite what we really were, to be honest... how we came to be, any of that like. I do not think even sister knows, nor perhaps even my brother Sleipnir... aye, 'tis all... jarred in my mind, strange and alien. And admittedly I do not like to think of it. I was the night maiden even back then, I was different, and I was adored and reviled in the same breath because I was Freya's second-in-command all the same. Of course, Freya herself commanded absolute respect... but that was because there was no equal on the battlefield for her, because she always claimed first blood, first kill, first pick, her strategies flawless, her pride an ardent blaze... despite her... eccentricities." Luna smiled slightly, and then she sighed softly and murmured: "But I can no longer count myself a Valkyrie, Twilight Sparkle. I slew Odin, I turned on the Aesir and on Asgard, and even now I fear that sooner or later, I will encounter my brother Sleipnir not as brother, but foe. Nay, he would not meet me willingly... but if Odin had friends, such friends could coerce Sleipnir into standing against me, into seeking useless revenge for his so-called father's demise. And as Scrivener Blooms will recall, Sleipnir was no easy foe." "He picked me up and threw me when I was at full size. It was very humiliating to have my flank kicked by a pony I should have been able to pick up and eat." Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight gave him an amused look before the male leaned back and picked up his coffee, sipping at it absently as he added wryly: "Maybe that's part of why I want to be so much stronger. I learned that size definitely is not everything." "Nay, 'tis not. But it does often help." Luna said kindly, and Scrivener snorted as Luna sighed before the sapphire winged unicorn sat up, rubbing a hoof along Twilight's side and gazing down at her affectionately before she glanced towards the last mug of coffee. It glowed gentle blue as she lifted it with telekinesis, floating over so she could sip slowly at the contents, and she sighed softly in pleasure, closing her eyes and murmuring: "Delicious. 'Tis the little things that make life so worthwhile, heed my words. Wonderful as it shall be to have a castle in which to enjoy my coffee, if I had to choose between the two, the coffee would win." "So you were serious about that." Twilight said softly, and she finally sat up as well. Scrivener's claws tickled down one of her limbs, and she half slid her hoof into it, glancing down at him with an awkward smile, and he smiled back, giving her hoof a slow squeeze and not pulling away as Luna grunted approvingly and slipped over to lean lightly against the winged unicorn. Twilight looked from one to the other, smiling despite herself before she glanced over her shoulder as the door opened, half-pulling away from the two... and Luna glared at her sourly as Scrivener laughed and climbed to his claws, glancing over his shoulder and past the island countertop that separated kitchen from den as Celestia strode in through the back door, the ivory equine smiling over at them as she said quietly: "I didn't mean to be gone for so long, sister, I apologize... but this is a miraculous place. It truly does resemble the Everfree Forest that existed in our own world, except for those two trees... what did you call them, again?" "Hu and Ỏðr. Surely thou remembers though... I think thou just wishes to hear the old language from me, as if already mine way of speaking was not archaic enough." Luna replied mildly, and Celestia smiled despite herself before the winged unicorn glanced over at Scrivener Blooms, the two trading thoughts and memories before the younger sister grinned widely and said easily, culling knowledge from her husband's mind: "Of course, if I suddenly start talking normally, you'd all hate that at this point, right? I think you all like the old way of speaking." "Maybe it does remind me of the Equestria that once was. Maybe that's why I had Scrivener Blooms try to teach you the speech of modern ponies... but never leaned on him even when I realized you had convinced him to start teaching you history and current events rather than language." Celestia halted, looking down and smiling a bit as she closed her eyes. "Noble dialect, second generation, spoken by royal messengers, aristocrats, and the bourgeois. You and Sleipnir seemed to have it drilled into your minds, even though I sometimes found myself using the more-common dialects as well. But I could never train you out of that... and regretted ever developing the tradition of the Royal Canterlot Voice." Luna began to open her mouth, and Scrivener winced and covered his ears as both Twilight and Celestia immediately glared at her., making the dark-coated winged unicorn grumble and then muttered: "I was not about to do it. And only be glad Sleipnir was never taught such a thing. 'Twould have been marring disaster. At least I attempted to alter my speech patterns for a time, before I settled back down to the ease of talking such as this. More importantly, my husband thinks it is cute. I am cute, Celestia. Thou art not cute. Thou art fat." "Yes, yes, Luna." Celestia said tiredly, even as Twilight repressed a childish giggle despite herself at the imperious look on Luna's face and the exasperated entertainment on Celestia's. "You'll never really change, will you?" "Nay, not ever." Luna replied staunchly, and then she smiled warmly before glancing towards Scrivener Blooms, saying gently: "Daydreamer, fetch sister a coffee of her own. 'Twill help her relax and join the conversation I am so eager to get underway." "It's alright, honestly... you don't have to go to any extra troubles for me." Celestia said softly, but when Scrivy only smiled at her as he climbed to his claws, she smiled back and nodded slowly, making her way to sit down amidst a cluster of pillows near a cluttered writing desk, saying softly: "Then thank you. I appreciate it." The ivory equine paused for a moment, then turned her eyes towards Luna with a bit of a smile, adding after a moment: "And perhaps we should do our best to avoid any... too-serious topics for now. I'm still... a little troubled, a little concerned, but after some time... letting myself think and adjust, I feel better about things. All I really know for sure, Luna, is that... you are my little sister, and I know you have your reasons for doing this. But after everything we've been through, I think sometimes even if you didn't... I still couldn't bring myself to stand against you ever again." Celestia halted, then smiled a bit at this, shaking her head slowly as she said softly: "Once I put my nation, Equestria, above everything else... then, I put order and law above even that, and it almost led to the downfall of everything I had striven to achieve. You, Luna... have always put love and family and friends first...I treated it like something that could be researched, inspected, and perhaps one day synthesized." "Well, we have always been parallels in many ways, sister... even more so now." Luna smiled despite herself, spreading a wing and glancing quietly down at her almost-black coat, and Celestia laughed quietly despite herself. "Thou art too hard on thyself, though. Thou did many things and much good for thy nation... and I know that now, thou will make an even better leader." "I do not know if I am... ready... to lead again. Especially because this is a new world, where we ponies are..." She paused, searching for the right word before smiling at Scrivener as he returned with a mug of coffee for her. "What would you say we were, Scrivener Blooms? You were court poet for a reason." "I was court poet out of luck." Scrivy smiled a bit despite himself, looking flattered all the same before he turned back towards the kitchen, but paused and then looked over his shoulder, saying softly: "It's like this world was waiting for us... the way the Strange Ones were so willing to move to new homes for us and help us, the way this whole Looking Glass World is so similar to our Equestria... we're like the missing pieces of a puzzle, the lost threads from a tapestry. We're strangers coming home... catalysts for something, but I'm not sure just what yet." Celestia nodded slowly, saying softly: "So you feel it too, do you? Like we're here for a purpose. Like perhaps Odin or someone else had something in mind for us." Luna shifted awkwardly... and then she glanced up as Scrivener returned with the half-full carafe, her mug glowing quietly as she lifted it with telekinesis so the male could fill it as she murmured: "Aye, perhaps, although every time I hear that name mentioned now I am filled with both... a wicked sense of scorn and what may be guilt, perhaps even shame now. I had no choice but... all the same, I do wish things had gone differently with the old lecher." "The casualties of war are never easy, especially when we are forced to fight against those who were once our allies." Celestia said softly, gazing over at her sister, and Luna smiled a little before the ivory equine shook her head and turned her eyes to Twilight Sparkle. "And what about you, my friend? You've been very quiet." "I was just... thinking." Twilight said awkwardly, shifting a bit, and then she smiled at Scrivy as he stepped past her to refill her mug as well, her eyes slowly roving along his form, studying his frame before she said quietly: "We've spent... I dunno, ten years in this world as Pales, right? Or something like that... I only know that it's been a decade since... you know." Twilight halted, then she shook her head and smiled over at Luna when she blushed as Scrivener returned towards the kitchen. "But inside, I feel like... even when I was just a spirit, wandering Ponyville and the surrounding land... I saw something special in this world, knew there was something special about this place. You can feel it in the air." "I think it has something to do with those trees, Luna. Maybe that was why Odin reacted so violently to the changes that have spread through yourself and Scrivener Blooms." Celestia suggested, and Luna fidgeted a bit even as she looked thoughtfully across at her sister. "But I know, we should concentrate on more-pleasant subjects for the moment. I still have my old tactician's mindset, though, and I think I still become too focused on certain things for my own good." "Aye, but that, sadly, is a similarity all here share." Luna replied dryly, glancing pointedly towards Scrivy as the male stepped back into the room from the kitchen, and he huffed a bit at her before walking over to sit beside the dark-coated winged unicorn, as Celestia laughed softly and Twilight Sparkle smiled a bit. "I cannot begin to express how fortunate I feel that I am the least-thoughtful of all of thee. Sleipnir taught me well." "He did. Too well, I think sometimes." Celestia replied with a smile, and Luna laughed despite herself as she dropped her head against her husband's shoulder, smiling affectionately. "Tell me, sister... how was he? I was almost tempted to let the light carry me to Valhalla, to be honest, if only I could see him..." "And what, leave me here without thee to undermine? 'Twould have been a wicked, selfish and shameful thing, sister!" Luna retorted, but Celestia only gave her an indulgent smile before the dark-coated winged unicorn smiled a little. "But our brother... he was well. He was... himself, aye, there is no better way to describe Sleipnir than this." Celestia nodded slowly, and Twilight glanced up curiously, asking hesitantly: "I've always been curious... you both bring him up often but neither of you ever... you know, describe him or anything. I remember glimpses of your memories, Celestia and... I'd really like to learn more, if you wouldn't mind." "And 'tis a perfect subject for conversation right now." Luna smiled warmly, glancing towards Twilight as she nodded firmly, and Celestia nodded again in agreement before Luna grinned towards Scrivener, who glared at her as she began teasingly: "First of all, as my husband learned, he was most certainly not a pony to be underestimated..." 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